Kit: No. HC1441
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Hobbycraft Canada, 140 Applewood Crescent, Concord, ON
L4K 4E2, Canada, 905-738-6556
Price: $16.98
Comments: Injection molded, 71 parts, decals.
It's been a long time since a new kit of the last of the Grumman propeller-driven "Cats" has appeared. Hobbycraft's kit offers good recessed detail, average cockpit interior, and a hint of the "behind the engine" equipment visible through the wheel well openings. Underwing ordnance includes bombs, napalm canisters, and a center-line fuel tank, but the 5" rockets shown on the box top are not provided.
A separate fin/rudder is the only wrinkle in assembly; this alternates with a taller fin/rudder in the forthcoming F8F-2 kit. Mine needed a little putty and sanding to fair it into the fuselage. The rest of the kit fit well, except for the wheel well (A6), which needed a little sanding, and for positioning the wings to the fuselage. For a better fit, remove the alignment tabs from the wing, glue the bottom to the fuselage, then follow with each of the wing tops.
A couple of minor outline problems would be difficult to correct. The cowl is too blunt at the leading edge. You might be able to increase the radius of the taper with sandpaper, but the plastic is thin and you could break through.
The canopy has the correct shape, but the opening on the fuselage slopes down to the rear too much. I also found the add-on blisters for the wing cannon a bit hefty.
Hobbycraft provides markings for four French Bearcats that served in Indochina in the early 1950s. The complicated squadron insignia was duplicated in separated colors in case printing registration went awry. My sample was printed perfectly, however, and the insignia went on without difficulty. A nice touch is the inclusion of canopy frame decals. All the frames are duplicated in silver, black, and dark blue, so you can use whatever color you need. Unfortunately, the dark blue ones weren't dark enough to match FS 35042 dark sea blue.
Outside of the minor outline discrepancies, the finished Bearcat looks right compared with photos in Charles Scrivner's F8F Bearcat in Action (Squadron/Signal). Beginners shouldn't have much trouble building this model. I spent 15 hours on mine, and look forward to the Blue Angel and the tall-tail F8F-2 coming out soon.
- Chuck Davis